Category: Tips

[fusion_text]It’s going to be a HOT one, folks! Check out the tips below from Kyle Kranz at SkoraRunning.com to optimize your runs during the season. Stay cool out there, trotters!

With the summer months approaching, many of us will be experiencing warmer temperatures soon.

Just as the seasonal cooling require a different approach to outdoor training, the warmer months require some training and mindset modifications.

Adjust Your Pace Expectations

The 50 degree range is typically optimal running temperature, any more or any less and your pace may decrease. Know that this is going to happen and most importantly be ok with it. If you regularly training cooler weather, adjust your goal pace if you have a warmer race. If you regularly train in warmer weather, a cooler race may feel easier and you may run a bit faster than expected. The above example for an 8:00 pace at 50*F suggests as much as a 15% difference between your pace at 50*F and 80*F!

Run in the Morning or Evenings

This is going to be the best option for you to effectively and safely run. When the sun is down you and the temperatures at their lowest, you’ll be able to run with losing the least amount of body fluids and you’ll be able to run fastest at the same effort level. If you’re not able to perform all runs when the sun is set, at least doing your hardest and longest workouts at this time will help. Training in the heat will hinder your ability to run fast, which may decrease the stimulation for adaptation.

You Must Hydrate

Special care must be taken in regards to your hydration needs while training or racing in the heat. Taking in extra fluids prior to a run can help prevent or delay fatigue during the run or dehydration headaches after the run. An electrolyte drink such as Nuun before running can also help alleviate hydration issues.

Cleaning the Gear

In especially hot or humid environments, the excessive sweat may soak everything from your cap to your shoes. We typically recommend washing shoes and gear with the most gentle method possible. When you come back from a run and your shoes are drenched, simply taking them into the shower, washing them there, and letting them air dry will be the best method from preventing sweat from accumulating in the shoe and smelling them up.

Skin Protection

Running in the morning or evening is the best method of protecting the skin from sun damage, however if this is not possible wearing long sleeves is also a great method to keep the sun’s rays off of your skin. You can even purchase skin cooler sleeves to wear with your regular t-shirts.

Run Indoors

Many view running indoors as a form of torture, however if it’s 100*F outside it may be the best option for you. You may even be able to find an indoor track to use, however treadmill is a great way to run a quality or easy workout within the comforts of a gym.[/fusion_text]

[title size=”2″]Couch to 5K Training: 10 Tricks For Sticking To It[/title]Now that you are well on your way training for the Thanksgiving Day Dana Point Turkey Trot, you’re starting to really feel the benefits of exercise. You feel more energized, you’re clothes are starting to fit differently, and your overall confidence is improving. Don’t lose your stride! Keep exercising and don’t let excuses get in the way of your well-being. Stay on track with these simple tips:

1. Start Looking at Exercise Differently. All movement is exercise. People need to give themselves more options. Take the dog for a walk, bike to the store or take five-minute stretch breaks. If you don’t count something as exercise unless it happens in the gym, goes on for 30 minutes or requires a shower afterward, you’re missing some of your best opportunities to stay active.

2. Think Small. This advice can be hardest for people who expect the most from themselves. If you often think “why bother walking around the block, when I should be running my usual four miles?” Remind yourself that a brisk hike can keep you from feeling that you’ve failed.

3. Set an Agenda. Set a goal, such as increasing the speed, frequency or duration of your activity. Maybe it’s time to train for the Dana Point Turkey Trot’s 5k or 10k, or maybe choose a more simple goal like walking uphill without getting winded.

4. Get off the Beaten Path. Have you ever tried snowboarding, bowling, swing dancing, or body surfing? How about reversing your power walk route or exercising at a different time of day? Physical activity isn’t boring, but how you participate in it can be.

5. Use Your Brain. If you’re new to exercise, try listening to music, watching TV or playing computer games to help you stick with it – but stay aware of sensations that could signal injury or overdoing it.

6. Get an Accountability Partner. Find a friend, mentor or coach to keep you honest. You can either exercise with your partner, or simply check in with him or her to report your progress.

7. Plan Ahead to Stay Active. Plan to park farther from the office and put your walking shoes in the car the night before. Plan to take that new yoga class next week, and call the babysitter now.

8. Face Your Fitness Foes. If certain obstacles continuously get in the way of your exercising, identify them right away. If vacations throw your exercising schedule out of whack, projects at work overtake your activity time, injuries sideline you, or you get bored easily, you need to face your challenges head on! Fitness foes can be beaten once they’ve been identified. You can change your vacation style, set work limits, get guidance for injury-free activity, find new challenges, and face your fears with counseling and support.

9. Go Tribal. Even if you’re introverted, the presence of others in your exercise environment can be motivating. We pick up on other people’s exercise vibes. Choose places and times to exercise where there will be other people who are actively involved in exercise.

10. Use a Script. We tell ourselves things like “skipping this one little walk won’t matter all that much.” Next time, be prepared with an answer for this excuse. Use images of past successful experiences to remind yourself of how good exercise makes you feel. Or, repeat a simple phrase to yourself such as “Every little bit makes a big difference.” If you use planning, flexibility and imagination, you won’t ever need to feel like a dropout again.

How to Buy the Correct Shoes for Your Running Style

Thirty years ago white canvas sneakers were all you needed for almost any physical activity. Today, more than 300 million pairs of athletic shoes are sold each year and the selection is so broad that choosing a suitable pair can be overwhelming.

Most experts agree that selecting the right fitness shoe is crucial to injury prevention. The wrong shoe can contribute to a variety of health problems. For example, poor arch or heel support can lead to plantar fasciitis (arch pain), inadequate heel cushioning is associated with heel spurs, and insufficient shock protection can promote stress fractures and lower back pain. So, how do you select the best shoe that is right you?

Understand Foot Biomechanics

Sounds like a scary subject, but it’s not difficult to understand. Most people overpronate, where their feet roll too far to the inside and push off the inside of their forefoot, usually caused by a low arch or flat feet. Others underpronate, or supinate, where their feet roll too far to the outside and don’t turn inside quickly enough. This results in pushing off too far on the little toe and is usually caused by a high arch.

Analyze Your Foot Type

Wet your feet and stand on a piece of cardboard. If you can see the entire sole in the imprint, you probably have a low arch and tend to overpronate. If you see only portions of your forefoot and heel with a narrow connection between them, you probably have a high arch and tend to underpronate. Shoes you’ve worn for some time may also provide clues: Overpronation creates wear on the outside heel and inside forefoot; underpronation causes wear on the outer edge of the heel and the little toe.

Match Your Foot Shape to the Shoe

Each company makes its shoes around its own set of “lasts,” or foot-shaped molds, which vary in arch height, heel width, toe box size, etc. So certain manufacturer’s’ shoes will fit you better than others. Make a paper tracing of your foot while standing and take the tracing with you when you go shoe shopping. You will be able to see which shoes best match your feet.

Determine How Much Cushioning You Need

The cushioning within a shoe disperses impact forces. Adequate cushioning is especially important if you underpronate, are an older exerciser, weigh over a certain amount (150 pounds for women, 180 pounds for men), or have a knee, hip or ankle problem.

Consider Stability

The shoe’s heel counter (the part that cups the heel) should be firm. If it “gives” easily, look for a more suitable shoe. In general, overpronators need more stable shoes than underpronators―so if you overpronate, be especially careful to select a shoe with a stiff heel counter. Underpronators often do better with a more flexible shoe with a softer heel counter.

Test for Flexibility

Underpronators generally need more flexibility in their shoes than overpronators. To determine the flexibility of a shoe, hold it by its heel and midfoot (not the toe) and twist; the more the shoe resists, the stiffer it is.

Match the Shoe to the Activity It’s Intended For

Look for a sport-specific shoe. Wearing the wrong type of shoe could promote injuries. A running shoe should provide excellent heel cushioning, shock absorption and a flexible forefoot. In a walking shoe the forefoot should be stiffer than in a running shoe, the sole should be thinner (especially in the heel) and the sole should be rounded so you can smoothly roll from heel to toe.

Have Your Feet Measured

Feet widen and lengthen as you age or gain weight. Get each foot measured at least once a year. Manufacturers use different sizing standards, so ignore the numbers and go strictly by fit. Look for a roomy toe box and adequate width across the broadest part of your foot. Fit should be snug at the heel to prevent slippage during movement.

When in Doubt, Throw Them Out

Your shoes can look okay but no longer provide proper support or shock absorption. Consider changing shoes after 150 hours of cross training, 300 to 500 miles of running or 1,000 miles of walking. In addition, replace your insoles frequently, rotate several pairs of shoes and save sport-specific shoes strictly for their designated activity.

How do you find the right exercise? Do you answer the quizzes in the magazines, watch other people in the gym, listen to your best friend, or try the latest crazes? Has anything worked?

I prescribe workout plans to the simple idea of body type. Are you a banana, apple or pear? All three types have their own characteristics that include body fat and muscle. Your body type is determined genetically and truly can be enhanced by your type of workout.

The banana, or the ectomorph, is characterized by higher body fat and has a difficult time building muscle. They generally have long limbs, feet and fingers, and do not gain weight very easily. They are considered “skinny” and often times too skinny. We see many of them running long distance races, which unfortunately only enhances their body type. I recommend resistance training programs for the banana to build more muscle mass and create strong bones, since this is the body type more prone to osteoporosis. The banana should cut down on their cardio to build muscle and may create more curves by swimming, using the water as resistance.

The apple, or the mesomorph, is characterized by an up-side-down triangle shape. They are those “fit” people that we see in Southern California. They are generally more lean and muscular, although if they do gain weight, it is in their upper body. A common belief is that mesomorphs have it made, with their strong and athletic builds. However, women especially, find themselves being too bulky too easily. I recommend a combination of equal cardiovascular exercise combined with weight training for the mesomorph, to keep a good combination of lean muscle mass and body fat. The mesomorph is able to keep their muscles longer and less bulky by adding yoga or Pilates into their program. The combination of movement, posture and breath control in these two types of exercise can create a less bulky look.

The pear, or endomorph, is a body type characterized by a smaller upper body with more curves or body fat around the hips and upper thighs. This body type has strong legs and a smaller, less muscular, upper body. Most women and some men fall in to this body type. While endomorphs have a tougher time than other body types in losing fat, they are often just as fit as other body types.

For pears, who usually carry extra fat around the lower abdomen, hips and thighs, the key is to start with a program that burns calories instead of a lot of strength training. The extra weight they carry can cause increased pressure on lower joints such as knees, hips and feet, so it is important for pears to at first avoid engaging in exercises that can add stress to these areas. That means trading high-impact exercises like tennis, jumping rope or other activities that involve intense and repetitive movements for low-impact cardio workouts like walking or biking. Light weight training is also important to increase mid and upper back strength.

The most important aspect of any effective exercise program is to find the one that is right for you, mentally and physically. By doing the appropriate exercises for your body type, you will achieve your desired goals faster, and you will find yourself motivated to stick with it.